DeTalvo set to leave
district problems behind
The imminent departure of Jack DeTalvo from the Middletown school district marks just another of many administrators who have fled the district over the past few years.
Since 1998, the district has had seen a number of principals at every educational level come and go, and it has had to replace a business administrator/school board secretary, a director of personnel, and its facilities chief, just to name a few administrators.
After less than three years on the job, DeTalvo resigned from the district effective Jan. 1, two years before his contract expires.
DeTalvo, one of the district’s strongest and most outspoken schools superintendents in recent memory, said his reason for leaving is a need for change.
Frustrated by roadblocks that include the Board of Education, parent groups and teacher factions, DeTalvo said that enacting change is difficult in the school district, which is the largest district in the county and the second largest suburban district in the state.
DeTalvo specifically cited the district’s embattled past with the Middletown Township Education Association and its leadership as hindering the district’s ability to change.
With too many hands in the pot, DeTalvo said, he has decided to step down in an effort to do a little fishing and find a place of employment that welcomes change.
Replacing DeTalvo in what he terms as a "tough district" will not be an easy task for the board.
The district’s reputation for being difficult is well-known among state school administrators, and the state is experiencing a shortage of school superintendent candidates.
The district’s best hope for a smooth transition is to find a strong candidate for the school chief’s spot to replace DeTalvo before he leaves his post.